Darkness on the Edge of Town Shabbat Bo January 24, 2015/4 Shevat 5775

(21) And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.’ (22) And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; (23) they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

A darkness that can be touched: A darkness more dark than the dark of night. The dark of night grew darker still. The word translated as touch is really a form of the verb "to grow dark...." Onkelos takes the word to be from "to move away...." this he translates 'darkness upon the land of Egypt after the darkness of night has departed,' a darkness that would begin at dawn. But the Hebrew does not say 'after,' it says 'and.'

The midrash takes this verb to be from "to grope," indicating that the darkness was so thick it was doubled and redoubled, until it became a darkness of substance, mamash.

People could not see one another, and for three days no one could get up from where he was...

This darkness was not merely the absence of sunlight, so that the sun set and it was as dark as night, but it was a thick darkness--that is a dense fog that descended from the sky...This darkness extinguished every light, just as in deep mines and other places of intense darkness no light can exist. Similarly, those who cross the Mountains of Darkness find that they cannot keep a light or any kind of fire burning. If this were not so in our verse, then they could simply have used lamps...It was not merely that daylight was absent, but darkness was sent. It may be that such a dense fog could actually be physically felt, as our Sages said, like the Atlantic fogs mentioned by Ibn Ezra.

What is the meaning of "thick darkness." Rabbi Abdimi of Haifa said: The darkness was doubled and redoubled. Our Sages taught: There were seven days of darkness. During the first three days, one who was sitting and wished to stand could do so, and one who stood could sit down if he wished. Concerning these days does it say: And there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; and they saw not one another. During the last three days, he who sat could not stand up, he who stood could not sit down, and he who was lying down could not raise himself upright. And concerning these days it says: Neither rose any from his place for three days.

Mishnah:

From when does one recite the Shema in the morning? From [when one can] distinguish between techelet (sky-blue) and white. Rabbi Eliezer says: Between sky-blue and leek-green [and finish until] sunrise. Rabbi Yehoshua says: Until three hours [of the day], for it is the habit of kings to rise at three hours....

Gemara:

What does it mean, "between techelet (sky-blue) and white? If you say between a pile of white wool and a pile of sky-blue wool, wouldn't you also know at night as well? Rather, between the sky-blue in [the fringes] and the white in [the fringes].

It was taught: Rabbi Meir said: From [when one can] distinguish between a wolf and a dog; Rabbi Akiva says: Between a donkey and a wild donkey. And others say: When one can see an acquaintance from a distance of four cubits, and know him.

Rav Huna says: The halacha is according to the others.